Product Q&A: Cardinal Health's Hydrogel Surgical Glove

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Q: How was the idea for this product developed? What needs were you looking to meet with this product?

A: We started working on the Protexis™ Latex Hydrogel surgical glove project in order to meet the needs of our customers. We observed performance activities and listened to feedback from surgeons, nurses, technicians and others asking for a surgical glove that would fit and feel like a “second-skin." They wanted a glove that felt like a natural extension of their hand. The gloves needed to be easy to don and doff and provide uninhibited and comfortable wear. We were able to use these insights in order to design a new glove offering with performance in mind. The Protexis Latex Hydrogel surgical glove was truly designed for and by healthcare professionals.

A: Protexis Latex Hydrogel surgical gloves are powder-free which protects the wearer against powder-related skin irritation and the patent against post-operative complications associated with granulomas.

With these gloves, we were able to introduce a new coating technology – acrylic hydrogel polymer – to satisfy our customer needs. Acrylic hydrogel polymer (aka hydrogel) is a hydrophilic coating chemically bonded to the interior of the glove, enhancing donning lubricity. This ensures that — wet or dry — the gloves glide on and conform to hands for a soft, comfortable fit.

We produce our surgical gloves on a glove mold exclusive to Cardinal Health. Our glove mold has an independent thumb feature that replicates the anatomical position of a resting hand. The thumb is positioned away from, or in front of, the finger plane to allow for more natural movement. The mold also has a “waffled cuff” design that helps to maintain the position of the glove on the forearm and to resist roll-down.

Finally, the gloves are a translucent yellow color that looks and performs like a second layer of skin, and provides excellent contrast when worn on top of our blue colored undergloves.

Cardinal Health has been manufacturing surgical gloves for more than 50 years so we have extensive experience and innovation in glove manufacturing and coating technologies. The pairing of our latex formulation with our hydrogel coating on top of our unique glove mold allowed us to design and build a surgical glove unlike any other in our portfolio.

Q: How can using this product help facilities improve patient safety, infection rates and overall efficiency?

A: Protexis Latex Hydrogel surgical gloves were engineered to protect staff from blood and bodily fluid contact and patients from contamination.The powder-free feature helps to minimize powder-related post-operative complications, such as granulomas.This glove is an integral component (i.e. translucent top layer) in a double-gloving system to prevent sharps and needlestick injuries. It is also priced competitively to support our customers in providing cost-effective care.

At Cardinal Health, we are dedicated to providing protection, performance, and expertise so wearers can perform confidently and focus on their patients.